UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. – The Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) announced the 2025 Women's Soccer Preseason Poll Friday (August 22) morning.
The Saginaw Valley State University women's soccer program was picked second in the poll, earning 51 points and one first-place vote. The Cardinals sit behind Grand Valley State, which collected 62 points and six first-place nods. Ferris State follows closely in third with 48 points and one first-place vote, while Northern Michigan is fourth with 46. Davenport lands fifth with 41 points and a first-place vote of its own. Michigan Tech and Purdue Northwest are tied for sixth with 24 points each, followed by Parkside in eighth with 19 and Roosevelt in ninth with 9.
The Cardinals are coming off a 10-6-5 season in 2024, advancing all the way to the GLIAC Finals, defeating Grand Valley State. The 1-1 tie went the Cardinals way 3-2 in penalty kicks for SVSU to make the championship match.
SVSU returns several key players to its lineup. Midfielder Rileigh Garbarz was second on the team in points last year with 12, scoring four goals and adding four assists. Madi Bajis, a First Team All-GLIAC Midfielder in 2024, tied for the team lead in goals with five. In net, Lainey Garbarz started 20 of the team's 21 matches, posting a 1.09 goals-against average and an .843 save percentage while recording eight shutouts.
Joining the returning core are eight newcomers, including sophomore transfer Emily Kolodin from Division I Eastern Michigan and seven incoming freshmen who look to make an early impact on the program.
Head coach Tyler Channell enters his fourth season at the helm, compiling a 30-17-13 overall record with a 20-10-9 mark in GLIAC play. He has led the Cardinals to the conference tournament in each of his first three seasons, including last year's run to the finals.
The Cardinals open their 2025 campaign at home against rival Northwood on Friday, September 5 at 1:00 PM. Following three straight non-conference road matches, SVSU begins GLIAC play with a semifinal rematch against Grand Valley State at home on Sunday, September 21 at 1:00 PM. In total, the Cardinals will host eight matches this fall at Robert C. Braddock Field, with Senior Day on Friday, October 31 against Purdue Northwest at 3:00 PM.
